Soil Factors Related to the Severity of Clubroot in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

Soil pH and calcium levels are determining factors in the success or failure of managing clubroot during the cultivation of Brassica spp. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of soil attributes in tropical regions on the development of roots and clubroot and the accumulation of biomass and nutrients in cauliflower. One hundred and fifty-one samples of soil and plants were collected from 16 family farms that have a history of more than 50 years of regular cauliflower cultivation in Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Chemical and physical analyses were performed on the soil samples, and the severity of clubroot and the accumulation of biomass and macronutrients in individual plants and plant tissues. Clustering and main principal component analyses were performed on the data. The disease occurred on all farms, but with different intensities. A direct relationship was observed for the soil attributes (acidity and exchangeable aluminum content in particular) with the percentage of roots with clubroot and with the accumulation of biomass and macronutrients in the different plant organs. To reduce losses from clubroot in weathered soils, practices should aim to reduce the pathogen’s inoculum potential and improve the physical and chemical conditions of the soil, which would favor root development of the plants.